List: Little Tips and Mind Tricks!!

I've been collecting little tips and mind tricks for weight loss. Some for from this forum  *Thanks Everyone!* and some are from other sources over the years. I hope this helps!

Please add on and post your Little Tip and Mind Tricks!

 - Portion control: put on your plate what you?d usually eat and then eat only half.

- Cut food into small pieces so it SEEMS like more. Research shows your eyes want to see (or at least the illusion of) large portion sizes.

- Similar to the above: Use small plates and cups. Research shows If it SEEMS like more food you?re more likely to eat less.

- Eat small meals often through out the day.

- If you're going to a place where there is temptation, (parties, grocery shopping) eat first. This is most important when shopping for food because shopping on a full stomach means your brain is free to make rational decisions about right food to buy for your diet.

- Take advantage of daily opportunities for exercise - use stairs, park far away so you have walk more, etc.

- Drink a lot of water and avoid alcohol. If not water, green tea is highly recommended.

- Don't see slip ups in the diet plan as failure - Just a bump in the road. You?re making a huge life style change so losing a small battle here and there doesn?t mean you lost the war. Keep it going!

- Protein rich food will make you feel fuller. Soy beans are great!

-  Cold temperatures will make your metabolism work harder to keep your body warm which means more calories burned.

- When you have a snack, put some in a small bowl rather than eating from a bag. If you bring the bag, you?ll eat more than you want to.

- Servings: better to take many small than a few large. A bit contradicting to above tips but many servings SEEMS like more, right?

- Drink 8oz of water 5 min before eating to get fuller faster and with eating less calories.

- Take a bitet, put fork down, chew, sip some water, repeat. Eating slower will make you feel full faster and you?ll eat less.

- When you should stop eating, pour salt, hot sauce, soapy water, or any sort of ?yuck? over the food on your plate to keep you from continuing to eat it.

- While cooking, have a cough drop to keep from ?taste testing? or eating while you cook.

- When eating out, order a to-go box with your order and immediately put half your order in if for later (tomorrow?s lunch maybe).

-Brush teeth when you?re done. It?s a good deterrent from eating more and has great dental benefits.

-It?s helpful to have snacks pre-measured into portion sized bags. Sometimes having the right foods at your convenience can make all the difference.

I really love Starbuck's coffee (any gourmet coffee, really).  When I want a vanilla mocha, I tell myself it is dessert.  Since I usually want coffee in the morning or afternoon, I end up getting an americano instead.  That way I get to have a great cup of coffee with no guilt.

For motivation, I keep quotes posted on the fridge.  Whenever I go to open the fridge, I read my quotes.  Some of my favorites include:

If you don't change direction, you end up where you're headed--Chinese Proverb

It is not what we say, it's what we do--my college advisor.

And I like to read the last two together--

If you're not actively involved in getting what you want, you don't really want it--Peter McWilliams.

Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it.  Establish your priorities, and go to work--H. L. Hunt, Hunt Oil.

I'm also a big believer in the smaller plate.  It really works!

I'm not sure that I saw this one, but....

Get ONE nice thing the next size down, and put it somewhere that you can see it. I've finally reached the next size down jeans, and it sure was nice taking down from my closet door.

:)

Underwear counts too! I'm down a size in underwear.

I made up these ones up:

• If you are feeling a binge coming on, instead go take a bubble bath or engage in an activity to pamper yourself.  A lot of times binging occurs when you feel stressed, so by relaxing in a bath or some other form of pampering, you will elevate stress and your urge will subside!  Exercise also works for this one.

• If you are going to a party or out with friends, wear your 'best' outfit and take time to look your best.  That way your confidence will be beaming and you won't feel so entitled to eat so much.

• Don't be afraid to let people know that you are dieting!  You will find yourself in better situations if you just let your secret out.  Just let them know you are working on living a healthier lifestyle :)

• Throw meal replacement bars in your glove box or in your car so that way when you are stuck in traffic and starving, you are not attempted to go through the fast food lines.

Great tips. I'm gonna tag this to refer back to.